"Questioning AI ethics does not make you a gloomy Luddite," or so the title of a recent article in a London business newspaper assures us. The most important thing to be learned here is that someone feels this needs to be said. Beyond that, there is also something instructive about the concluding paragraphs. If we…

"Technologies like AI emerge and evolve in social spaces that are resistant to substantial ethical critique. They also operate at a scale that undermines the possibility of ethical judgment and responsibility. Moreover, our society is ordered in such a way that there is very little to be done about it, chiefly because of the absence of structures that would sustain and empower ethical reflection and practice, the absence, in other words, of a we that is not merely rhetorical."

Technology (techne + logos) is about thoughtful and ethical conversations about, with, and through our tools. That means we have to speak to each other

A new study shows more and more teenagers are hanging out on devices when they should be catching ZZZs, putting their health at risk.

Ivon Prefontaine, PhD's insight:

Part of teaching children how to use computers and smart phones is the negative impacts such as lack of sleep. The lead researcher, Jean Twenge, says lack of sleep can lead to depression. This is an issue of health and well-being.

Cellphones in schools is a subject I’ve discussed at length before and one that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. It’s a bellweather issue, an issue that indicates clearly where you sit on the educational spectrum. Do schools teach students “the rules” or help students learn effectively?

Saw this argument in full swing recently and very pleased to happen across this article today. Nothing is ever black and white but this issue may hold the answer to the more fundamental question of - "What is school there for?"

Crafting a strong and well-balanced social media policy requires considerable time and effort. The policy must be flexible enough to accommodate new tech trends yet thorough and specific.

Ivon Prefontaine, PhD's insight:

There are several points to consider in how we establish rules for the use of any tools. First, what role do teachers and students play in this policy setting? Second, are the rules helping students learn how to self-regulate. Third, what are the behavioural outcomes?

As the fall final exam season creeps up, students are returning to their notes and — hopefully — recalling everything they learned this semester. But what kind of notes do they have, and will those notes be helpful? We wondered whether taking notes via pen and pencil versus typing made a difference for students. Here’s what we found!

The conclusions seem to be that students who use laptops are less engaged, taking notes with an iPad requires less processing, and the benefits digital tools may hold for those who struggle with writing.

I argue in my disserationtechnology (techne + logos) is a conversation about, with, and through our tools. Digital tools are no different. To choose and use them well is a thoughtful conversation by a craftsperson.

The third leg of the digital access, digital skills, is the one that is most often forgotten and taken-for-granted. If we have access and the tool, do we have the skills to use it? That begins with understanding technology (techne + logos) is a thoughtful conversation about, with, and through our tools. It is not limited to the digital.

A lot of people think that everyone, just about has access. Not true. A lot of people believe that access to a cell phone is all that is needed for most people. They have a lot to learn and a lot to gain. This article shares a lot of the information.

The third leg of the digital access, digital skills, is the one that is most often forgotten and taken-for-granted. If we have access and the tool, do we have the skills to use it? That begins with understanding technology (techne + logos) is a thoughtful conversation about, with, and through our tools. It is not limited to the digital.

Ben Williamson When educators talk about theories of learning they are normally referring to psychological conceptions of human cognition and thinking. Current trends in machine learning, data analytics, deep learning, and artificial intelligence, however, complicate human-centred psychological accounts about learning. Today’s most influential theories of learning are those that apply to how computers ‘learn’ from 'experience,' how…

Ivon Prefontaine, PhD's insight:

The idea that learning can be directed by algorithms without teachers is troubling. It is the latest uptake in a neo-liberal agenda.

To connect John Dewey to this type of teaching and learning is doubly troubling. He proposed that the simple learning of large amounts of information was a way to lose one's sould.

I am of the firm belief that learning and teaching are human enterprises.

The title and article are a play on an Arthur Clark quote about replacing teachers with quotes. Technology (techne + logos) is a thoughtful conversation craftspeople have about, with, and through their tools. It is not the tools. Good teachers realize this and understand the role they play in educating children and being pedagogues, both of which have to do with leading.

"Biased information — misleading in nature, typically used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view — is a much more prevalent problem than fake news. It’s a problem that doesn’t exist only within Facebook but across social networks and other information-rich services (Google, YouTube, etc.)."

Teachers and schools can play a significant role in this biased information and propaganda.

Everything you need to know about human communication lies hidden in one, 4-minute monologue from one of the greatest actors of all time.

Ivon Prefontaine, PhD's insight:

"The result of all this, the lack of confidence, the false images, the weak technological replacement for true friendship, true love, is that we keep spinning in circles."

I critiqued "Dead Poet's Society" in a Master's class. Teaching is about being free and responsbile to create. It is relational and there is no tool that replaces true friendship, love, compassion, and communication. Machines pass on information. Humans communicate.

Thomas Merton said "We call it falling in love for a reason. It can hurt."

Too many classes, all grade levels, begin the school year with getting down to academic business - starting to cover content, discussing expectations regarding academic requirements, giving tests, and other academic information provided by the teacher to the students in a mostly one-way communication. The human or social element is often disregarded. I believe that…

To be clear we are teachers and we teach. Facilitating and being a facilitator might be a role we assume within teaching.

The general premise of the article is to reach and form relationships with students. Begin each school year doing that with a variety of activities that helped you learn who students are and their interests.

Just over ten years ago, Karl Fisch wrote a blog post that has stuck with me through the years. In it, he asked if it was OK to be a technologically illiterate teacher. Even though we’ve learned greatly in the last decade about the merits of using technology to replace teachers, I think Karl’s arguments back then are even more relevant today. In this post, I’ll explain why.

The short answer is no. What digital tools have done is amplified the telling of lies and the narcissim of those who thing it is all about them. We do not live in a post-truth society. We need to be better than we are at times, particularly those in positions of power.

Machines cannot replace humans in a human way. We lose something when we think they can. That does not mean machines do not play a role in our lives. They do when chosen and used in thoughtful ways. The challenge is being thoughtful.

"While there is little national data on how school systems handle such issues, it appears that approaches vary widely. Some schools ban smartphones, while others allow them in hallways or during lunch periods, or actively incorporate them into instruction."

“I really don’t see a consensus,” said Elizabeth Englander, a professor at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. “Nobody really knows what to do. I think everybody’s trying out different things and seeing how they work.”

This report was published by the Council of Europe, with support from the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and First Draft. Reproduced with permission of the Council of Europe. The opinions expresse

Ivon Prefontaine, PhD's insight:

A key point in the introduction is rumours, conspiracy theories, and fabricating information are not new. What is new is the pace with which information is spread.

What role do teachers play in teaching about misinformation and information literacy?

Online learning advocates have always made big promises and sweeping statements - but more than 20 years on where are we? Richard Garrett of OBHE takes a global look at the myths and realities of online learning.

Hubert and Stuart Dreyfus have written that at some point we need a teacher who we have a face-to-face relationship with. Technology (techne + logos) is a conversation about, with, and thriough our tools. We wanted a quick fix that was never there.

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